I have been toying with this idea for quite some time now, voicing it to friends and acquaintances.

Why doesn’t the National Bureau of Prisons in Muntinlupa undertake a doable project where the minimum security inmates will get involved as workers, and derive income for themselves?

We have been thinking that producing camote shoots for sale in a big way can be a money-making project that the prisoners can easily do. The good thing is that there is a lot of vacant space in the Muntinlupa prisons. Why camote tops?

Camote is very easy to grow. No high-tech know-how is necessary. Camote shoot is a nutritious vegetable and is relished by a lot of people, so it could be produced in a large scale and supplied to supermarkets in attractive packaging.

What is needed is to improve the soil with organic fertilizer. Even unprocessed manure like those of chicken, cattle, horses and other animals will do. Perhaps some manufacturers of organic fertilizer like Mapecon of Jun Catan or Novatech of Dr. Rene Sumaoang can donate some organic fertilizers which they manufacture as part of their community outreach or corporate social responsibility.

Perhaps, the SM Foundation can also help the project by buying the camote shoots and selling the same in the various SM branches. This will require, of course, quality production and packaging of the shoots to meet the high standards of SM. That way the project will be forced to upgrade the quality of the products. Only the short tender tops should be harvested and then packaged in styropor or some other material.

**** **** ****

COMING EVENT. There will be a seminar on free-range chicken production to be conducted by Dr. Rey Itchon on May 4 in Iloilo City, May 5 in Bacolod, and May 6 in Silay City. Check solraya.blogspot.com for details.